Saint Luis Rey Churchills Vintage 2006
A real Proust's madeleine, offering a wonderful taste experience.
Although the Saint Luis Rey brand is nowadays better known for its regional edition program than for its regular catalogue, which is made up of a single vitola, we should mention that until 2010 the brand offered a varied vitolario, ranging from Marevas to Prominentes.
So, as usual, we offer you the chance to delve into the history of the brand with one of these discontinued vitolas and not the least, the Saint Luis Rey Churchills in Vintage 2006.
It was one of the first formats produced by the brand before being discontinued, as was the case for most other Habanos brands.
Before lighting it up, a quick reminder of the origins of this vitola. The Churchill is a Julieta No.2 with a 47 cepo and a length of 178 mm. Its creation is attributed to Romeo y Julieta in the early 1900s. Legend has it that it was originally rolled especially for the French statesman Georges Clemenceau. The cigar went into regular production under the name Clemenceaus after the First World War until the 1980s.
In parallel, during the Second World War, the Romeo y Julieta factory produced a large quantity of Clemenceaus with an exclusive personalized band for Sir Winston Churchill. The Clemenceaus became his favorite cigar. Following his historic visit to the Romeo y Julieta factory in 1947, the brand renamed the Clemenceaus, "Churchill" in his honor. This led to a new popularity of this vitola, as all aficionados were keen to obtain the cigar that the British statesman had so favorably endorsed. The Churchill became a very sought-after vitola and other brands, such as Saint Luis Rey, took possession of it.
Let's proceed to the lighting of this particular module, which should be enjoyed in complete tranquility to truly enjoy all of its deployment of flavors.
Let's start our vitola by setting it alight with a cedar stick. The first puffs let us appreciate beautiful earthy and woody notes, mainly of cedar. A simple register but the whole being beautifully balanced, this first third constitutes a delightful appetizer. Despite the years, this cigar is more than 15 years old, the strength and power seem to be very present. Or should we rather talk about frankness. In any case the aromatic profile seems very well defined.
The second third reveals a truly gourmand character, delivering beautiful notes of cocoa and coffee. A toasted, brioche-like flavor in the background plunges us into a real breakfast. We would happily repeat this tasting on a Sunday mid-morning with a double espresso!
The last part, less gourmet, takes us to the spices, as if to remind us that we are basically in the presence of a true Saint Luis Rey. What is remarkable is the ability of this Churchill to transport us, all with an exemplary roundness and perfect balance.
It is definitely less fiery than when it was young, but it still has the unmistakable flavor of Saint Luis Rey. This Churchill will certainly seduce aficionados who wish to touch the core identity of the brand. It is no exaggeration to say that it is probably our favorite Churchill. A real Proust's madeleine, offering a wonderful experience of about an hour and a half, that time has unfortunately made scarce.
SAINT LUIS REY Churchills - Vintage 2006
Vitola: Julieta No.2 (47 x 178 mm)
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